In various fields related to information processing such as memories, wireless communication, satellite broadcasting, and optical disks, encoding techniques having error detection and error correction capability are implemented with the aim of enhancing the reliability of the entire system. Known encoding techniques include Reed Solomon encoding, BCH (Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem) encoding, convolutional encoding, and LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) encoding. For example, in a memory system in which a semiconductor memory is used, minimizing and stacking techniques in the semiconductor fabricating have led to a significant rate of occurrence of errors. In that regard, encoding techniques such as those mentioned above are implemented so as to enhance the reliability of the entire memory system.
In an encoding apparatus that performs encoding, registers can be disposed with the purpose of holding parameters that determine the characteristic features such as the error correction capability of the encoding apparatus. Such a configuration makes it possible to easily provide an encoding apparatus that is tailored to the required characteristic features.
However, in the case of disposing registers with the aim of holding parameters that determine the characteristic features of the encoding apparatus, if a soft error occurs in the registers thereby causing a change in the values of parameters held therein, then an error occurs during the encoding operation and the system starts malfunctioning.